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Just like its parent company, Toyota, Lexus hasn’t invested a huge amount into EV production… yet.
The Japanese automaker currently has two electric models on offer, only one of which is a bespoke EV, but reportedly, Lexus is aiming high, with the goal of selling a million electric vehicles annually by 2030.
Recently, Lexus created a new branch of the company called Lexus Electrified, which is tasked to create a plan for an electric future.
This was released in 2019, and the announcement came with a series of design studies that hinted at a new range of very sporty looking EVs.
Takashi Watanabe, chief engineer of Lexus Electrified, explained recently that the automaker plans to become petrol-free, but has faced some obstacles along the way.
“It is an extremely difficult challenge to shift everything to BEVs and maintain a sustainable business. We need to reduce the cost of the battery and innovate the entire car manufacturing process,” he says.
Lexus also faces the issue of choosing a location for its EV production. It will inevitably work with Toyota and have models that share underpinnings (much like the new RZ 450e, which shares its e-TNGA platform with the Toyota bZ4x).
The automaker is reportedly looking into new manufacturing locations as an option, or just using the same factories that are used to produce the brand’s current hybrids.
If Lexus were to choose the latter option, it would have to create a new production line for the larger batteries to be fitted to the cars. But this would possibly be an easier option than converting an entire factory.
It’s an ambitious goal for the automaker which currently only has two electric vehicles on offer to attempt to sell one million EVs per year by the end of the decade. But if it achieves the goal, it’ll make the brand a high player in the EV business.
Keyword: Lexus aims to sell a million EVs each year by 2030